Low power multi-core decoder system and method

ABSTRACT

A portable data terminal including a multi-core processor having at least a first core and a second core, at least one illumination assembly and at least one imaging assembly and data storage means configured to store a plurality of program instructions, the program instructions including at least one one-dimensional decoder and at least one two-dimensional decoder.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/571,911 filed Oct. 1, 2009 entitled, “Low Power Multi-Core Decoder System and Method.” The above application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to portable data terminals and more particularly, to portable data terminals configured to capture an image and decode any bar code contained in the image.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Portable data terminals (PDTs) such as laser indicia reading devices, optical indicia reading devices, barcode scanners and barcode readers, for example, typically read data represented by printed indicia such as symbols, symbology, and bar codes, for example. One type of symbol is an array of rectangular bars and spaces that are arranged in a specific way to represent elements of data in machine readable form. Optical indicia reading devices typically transmit light onto a symbol and receive light scattered and/or reflected back from a bar code symbol or indicia. The received light is interpreted by an image processor to extract the data represented by the symbol. Laser indicia reading devices typically utilize transmitted laser light. One-dimensional (1D) optical bar code readers are characterized by reading data that is encoded along a single axis, in the widths of bars and spaces, so that such symbols can be read from a single scan along that axis, provided that the symbol is imaged with a sufficiently high resolution.

In order to allow the encoding of larger amounts of data in a single bar code symbol, a number of one-dimensional (1D) stacked bar code symbologies have been developed which partition encoded data into multiple rows, each including a respective 1D bar code pattern, all or most all of which must be scanned and decoded, then linked together to form a complete message. Scanning still requires relatively higher resolution in one dimension only, but multiple linear scans are needed to read the whole symbol.

A class of bar code symbologies known as two-dimensional (2D) matrix symbologies have been developed which offer orientation-free scanning and greater data densities and capacities than 1D symbologies. 2D matrix codes encode data as dark or light data elements within a regular polygonal matrix, accompanied by graphical finder, orientation and reference structures.

Conventionally, a PDT includes a central processor which directly controls the operations of the various electrical components housed within the PDT. For example, the central processor controls detection of keypad entries, display features, wireless communication functions, trigger detection, and bar code read and decode functionality. More specifically, the central processor typically communicates with an illumination assembly configured to illuminate a target, such as a bar code, and an imaging assembly configured to receive an image of the target and generate an electric output signal indicative of the data optically encoded therein.

The output signal is generally representative of the pixel data transmitted by an image sensor of the imaging assembly. Because the pixel data may not be high enough quality for the processor to reliably decode the bar code in the image, PDTs generally successively capture images, or image frames, until a reliable decode is complete. Further, where the bar codes being decoded vary from 1D and 2D symbologies, the PDT generally sequentially executes decode algorithms for the multiple symbologies. This process can be time-intensive because the processor must wait for the pixel data to be stored in memory before it can access the data in order to execute a decode algorithm and then must further wait for a decode algorithm to complete before a second decode algorithm can execute. Further, in many settings such as warehouses, shopping centers, shipping centers, and numerous others, PDTs are used to decode bar codes in serial fashion such that a faster decode operation generally increases throughput.

Attempts have been made to increase decode speed particularly by multi-threading. Multi-threading, or hyper-threading, allows multiple threads to use a single processing unit by providing processor cycles to one thread when another thread incurs a latency such as a cache miss, for example, which would cause the processor to incur several cycles of idle time while off-chip memory is accessed. Using multi-threading, the central processor idle time is minimized but not substantially parallelized. Further, context switching between threads can significantly increase overhead, as the state of one process/thread is saved while another is loaded, further minimizing any efficiency gain.

Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a PDT system architecture that will allow for faster, substantially parallel, bar code decoding operations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a plan view of an exemplary PDT and FIG. 1B is a side perspective view of an exemplary PDT.

FIG. 2A is a block schematic diagram of an exemplary PDT according to the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a block schematic diagram of an exemplary PDT according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block schematic diagram of an exemplary multi-core processor according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block schematic diagram of an exemplary dual port memory module according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block schematic diagram of an exemplary multi-core processor according to the present invention.

It will be appreciated that for purposes of clarity and where deemed appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated in the figures to indicate corresponding features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, two exemplary PDTs 100 for reading/scanning printed indicia are shown. The PDT housing can be shaped so as to fit comfortably into a human hand using a handle portion 104 and can include a finger actuatable scan/capture or trigger button 101 as well as a keypad 102 for inputting data and commands, power button, and antenna for facilitating communication with a local or remote host processor, for example. The PDT also includes a display 103, such as an LCD or OLED display, for example, for displaying information to the user. If the display 103 is a touch screen, a stylus (not shown) may also be included to facilitate interaction with the touch screen. An aperture in the housing is included such that the illumination 108 and imaging optics 109 have substantially unobstructed access to the target 114. The PDT can also include a power port for receiving a power supply as well as one or more communication ports for facilitating wired or wireless communication with a network interface 134. Although the present invention is described with respect to a PDT, the invention can be utilized in any bar code scanner, mobile device, mobile computer, or personal data assistant, for example.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, there is shown a block schematic diagram of the basic structures that together comprise a PDT 105 according to the present invention. The PDT 105 includes an illumination assembly 108 for illuminating a target 114, such as a bar code, and an imaging assembly 109 for receiving an image of the target 114 and generating an electric output signal indicative of the pixel data optically encoded therein. The illumination assembly 108 includes at least one light source 112 together with illumination optics 110, such as one or more reflectors, for directing light from the light source in the direction of the target 114. The light source 112 can include at least one LED configured to emit light in the near-infrared range and/or at least one LED configured to emit light in the visible range. The imaging assembly 102 includes a 2D image sensor 106, such as a CCD, CMOS, NMOS, PMOS, CID, or CMD solid state imagine sensor, along with imaging optics 107 for receiving and focusing an image of the target 114 onto the image sensor 106.

Still referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the PDT 105 further includes a processing architecture 115 which controls the operation of the PDT 105 by implementing program instructions it retrieves from the data storage means 122. More specifically, the processing architecture 115 is configured to receive, output and process data, including image/pixel data, operate the imaging 109 and illumination 108 assemblies, and communicate with a system bus 138 among other operations. Further, the processing architecture 115 may be configured to control the illumination of the light source 112, the timing of the image sensor 106, analog-to-digital conversion, transmission and reception of data to and from a processor of a remote computer 136 external to the reader through a network interface 134, such as an RS-232, RS-485, USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth.™., IrDA and Zigbee interface, control a user input interface to manage user interaction with a scan/trigger button 101 and/or keypad 102, and control an output device 103, such as an LCD or an OLED display, through the display interface 132. The processing architecture 115 includes at least one multi-core processor 116 as described in detail below with respect to FIGS. 3 and 5 but optionally can include an additional processor(s) or microprocessor(s) such as VLSI or ASIC integrated circuit microprocessor(s). In one embodiment shown in FIG. 2A the data storage means 122 a includes at least one dual port memory module 160, such as RAM for example, described in detail below with respect to FIG. 4 but optionally can include additional memory modules such as local, network-accessible, removable and/or non-removable memory, such as RAM, ROM, and/or flash. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, the data storage means 122 b includes at least one single port memory module 163, such as RAM for example, in communication with a direct memory access (DMA) controller 161 as described further below. The data storage means 122 is shown as including applications 125, such as an operating system for example, a 1D decoder 127, and a 2D decoder 129. The decoders 127 and 129 include program instructions that, when executed by the multi-core processor 116, retrieve image pixel data and decode any bar code contained in the image as is known in the art. Although the decoders 127 and 129 are shown as separate from the dual port memory 160 in FIG. 2A, in another embodiment the decoder 127 and 129 program instructions are stored in the dual port memory 160. The PDT 105 also includes one or more power supplies 128, such as one or more batteries and/or circuitry for receiving an alternating current, and a user input interface 130 for receiving data from a user input device 102, such as a keyboard, keypad, and/or touch screen. The PDT 105 structures shown in FIG. 2 are preferably supported on one or more printed circuit boards (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 3, a multi-core processor 116 according to the present invention is shown as a dual-core processor 116 a having a first core 140 and a second core 142. The cores can also share one cache, or in a multilevel cache architecture, each utilize its own respective cache (e.g. L1) and share another cache (e.g. L2) or any combination thereof. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a first level of cache 144 is shown as having instruction and data caches for each core 140, 142 and a second level of cache 146 is shown as being shared among both cores 140 and 142. The cores 140 and 142 can be integrated on the same integrated circuit die or they can be integrated onto multiple dies in the same integrated circuit package as is known in the art. Further, the processor 116 can also include one or more independent or shared bus interfaces such as a shared bus interface 148 for communication with a system bus and/or the data storage means 122. Each core 140 and 142 has its own processing unit and is capable of issuing instructions transmitted through the bus interface to a bus as well as simultaneously performing operations.

Referring to one embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A and 4, dual port memory 160 is shown as including a first port 162 and a second port 164. At least a portion of the dual port memory, identified as frame buffer 166 in FIG. 4, is configured to store image frame data as received from the image sensor. Dual port memory, such as the dual port memory described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,842 to Sugita, incorporated herein by reference, is preferably configured to be accessed by two cores simultaneously on the same clock. Contention issues are preferably handled by arbitration system or arbitration logic as is known in the art and as one exemplary implementation of an arbitration system is also described in the '842 patent. Dual port memory can also be implemented with a single port memory core as taught by Balasubramanian et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,349,285, incorporated herein by reference, whereby access requests are processed on both the high and low logic states of the memory clock cycle.

In an exemplary operation, the processing architecture 115 retrieves program instructions from data storage means 122 a, over system bus 138, which the architecture implements to control the illumination assembly 108 to focus light on a target 114 containing a bar code and imaging assembly 109 to receive the reflected light. The image sensor 106 then transmits output signals, representative of pixel data of the captured image, to the first port 162 of the dual port memory 164 where it is stored in a frame buffer 166. Each of the first core 140 and the second core 142 can then access the frame buffer 166 and retrieve the pixel data. To allow for parallel decoding, the first core 140 can be configured to execute the program instructions of the 1D decoder and the second core 142 can be configured to execute the program instructions of the 2D decoder. Accordingly, whether the image contains a 1D or 2D bar code, decoding can occur at substantially the same time decreasing the time required for a successful decode. Further, image pixel/frame data can be stored in the dual port memory 160 on the same clock cycle as image pixel/frame data is being retrieved by the first core 140 and/or the second core 142. PDT 105 can be configured to continuously image the target 114 and store the pixel data, or each frame, in the frame buffer and the cores 140 and 142 can continually process the image frame data, in parallel, until a successful decode event occurs. Upon successful decode, the decoded data is optionally transmitted to the data storage means 122 where it can be accessed, for example, by an application 125.

In another embodiment, the first core is configured to execute 1D decoder 127 program instructions as well as image quality filter program instructions stored in data storage means 122. When executed by the first core 140, the image quality filter program instructions analyze, in real time, the pixel data/each frame retrieved by the core from the frame buffer for quality with respect to contrast, for example. The frame can then be assigned an image quality score which can be factored into a decode algorithm's decision with respect to selecting the highest image quality score frame available in the frame buffer. Further, the image quality filter program instructions can be configured to interrupt an existing decode 127 process which is decoding a frame/image with a low image quality score should a frame/image with a higher image quality score be captured.

In yet another embodiment, the first core 140 is configured to execute image quality filter program instructions, or any other program instructions related to image processing, for example, stored in data storage means 122 and the second core 142 is configured to execute 1D decoder 127 program instructions as well as 2D decoder program instructions 129.

Referring to FIG. 5, another embodiment is shown wherein the multi-core processor is a quad-core processor further including a third core and a fourth core as well as a first cache level 178, a second shared cache level 180 and a bus interface 182. A quad-core processor 116 b generally refers to four processing units or cores 170, 172, 174 and 176 manufactured on the same integrated circuit. In this embodiment, the third core 174 can be configured to execute the program instructions of the image quality filter and the fourth core 176 can execute program instructions related to communication with the network interface 134. Accordingly, the user does not have to wait to pull the trigger or press the scan button again until the first or second core has executed communication routines to transmit the decode results, for example through the network interface 134 to a remote computer 136, because the fourth core 176 can handle communication with the network interface 134 in parallel with the first and/or second core causing the PDT 105 to capture a new image and begin a new process of decoding any bar code contained in the image.

Referring to FIG. 2B, although the invention has thus far been described as including a dual port memory module, in another embodiment the data storage means 122 b includes a single port memory 163 configured to store a frame buffer. In this embodiment, preferably a DMA controller 161 is included as being in communication with the imaging assembly 109, the processing architecture 115 and the data storage means 122 b. The DMA controller 161 can off-load the processor by transferring pixel data from the image sensor 106 directly to the single port memory 163 without involving the processing architecture 115 including the multi-core processor 116. Accordingly, processor cycles that otherwise would be used to manage a frame buffer can instead be used to run decode 127, 129 algorithms and/or otherwise as described above,

While the present invention substantially reduces the time required for a successful decode, it can also effectively manage the system clock and/or the power supplied to each core to reduce overall power consumption. Particularly in PDTs that are mostly powered by battery, power consumption is a concern because the greater the power dissipated, the faster the remaining battery life is reduced. Accordingly, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, a clock management module/logic 150 configured to dynamically vary the clock speed received by each respective core based on the workload/utilization of each core and/or a power management module/logic 150 configured to dynamically vary the voltage received by at least a portion of each core can be utilized to manage resources consumed by the multi-core processor 116 b. One method of power management is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/238,489 to Borkar et al., incorporated herein by reference, as including voltage regulators to supply power to each core or a part of a core depending on a number of factors including activity, core temperature, transient current consumption, and reliability. Another method of power management has been described by Kim in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/424,080, incorporated herein by reference, which includes modulating the mode of the processor to single core or multi-core depending on a number of factors including whether the PDT is connected to AC or battery power, remaining battery level, available memory, and memory usage. One exemplary clock management module is disclosed by Naveh et al. in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/899,674, incorporated herein by reference, wherein the clock management module utilizes independent clock throttle settings for each core, independent clock throttle of various functional blocks of one or more core's internal architecture such as reorder buffers and reservation station tables, for example, and scaling the clock frequency of the bus that the multi-core processor uses to communicate with system components.

While the principles of the invention have been described herein, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation as to the scope of the invention. Other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the present invention in addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable data terminal, comprising: a multi-core processor having at least a first core and a second core; at least one illumination assembly and at least one imaging assembly; and data storage means configured to store a plurality of program instructions, the program instructions including at least one one-dimensional decoder and at least one two-dimensional decoder, wherein the program instructions stored in the data storage means further includes an image quality filter.
 2. The portable data terminal of claim 1 wherein the data storage means further includes including at least one multi-port memory module having at least a first port and a second port, the at least one multi-port memory module being configured to receive output signals from the imaging assembly and communicate with the multi-core processor.
 3. The portable data terminal of claim 1 further including a power supply, at least one system bus, a network interface, a display interface, a system bus, and a user input interface.
 4. The portable data terminal of claim 1 further including at least one management module selected from the group consisting of a clock management module configured to dynamically vary the clock speed received by each respective core based on the workload of each core and a power management module configured to dynamically vary the voltage received by at least a portion of each core.
 5. The portable data terminal of claim 1 wherein the first core of the multi-core processor executes the one-dimensional decoder and the second core executes the two-dimensional decoder.
 6. The portable data terminal of claim 1 wherein the first core of the multi-core processor executes the image quality filter and the second core of the multi-core processor communicates with the network interface. 